There are hundreds, even thousands of dramatic activities to use in the classroom. I have a wealth of them stuffed into my head, in the pages of notebooks and journals, and on the bookshelves in my apartment. The following is a short list of activities I highly recommend using in various classrooms because of their effectiveness, relevance, and ability to engage. Please email for details of the guidelines and procedures of these strategies and activities.
Elementary School:
"The Sun Shines For..." (aka "When the Big Wind Blows"): This game allows students to practice moving, sharing, and listening, which are basic skills for building drama in the classroom. Students are also able to share things about themselves, which appeals to younger children. This is also a great activity to get students thinking about what makes up a character.
Storyboard: I find that students in this age range are eager artists, and can often work collaboratively to create drawings. Students in this age range also enjoy describing things, so they are good at explaining what is happening in their pictures. Students also love to share their artwork, which can be used as an assessment tool to see if students understand a story they are reading. Students can also practice their presentation skills by sharing their work.
Middle School:
Issue Forum Theatre: Teenagers in the middle years have a lot to talk about. They are exploring their futures, figuring out what they must live up to and what they must grow out of. This confusing time can be worked through using issue forum theatre.
Writing to Music: This activity generally calms students while getting creative juices flowing. This activity allows for individual, personal work, which middle school students often crave. When students are alone with their thoughts, they have the opportunity to work things out in their heads to get to the bottom of an issue/problem/concern/idea and can better formulate questions and opinions---in other words, fewer empty rants. This activity lays the groundwork for building off of substantial ideas.
High School:
Role on the Wall: This activity allows for reluctant drawers to create a word image of a character. This activity can be used to assess student understanding of a character and can serve as a jumping off point for more research or in-depth discussion.
Role in a Folder: Students in this age range enjoy tasks that challenge their brains. They also tend to enjoy detective work and mysteries. This activity develops critical thinking around an event and can be used to build sophisticated theatre or as a segue into a touchy subject. This activity allows for varying opinion and interpretation, and for students to practice their speaking skills. This is also a great way to build improv.
All Grade Levels:
Teacher in Role: This activity has intrigue at any age! This allows an educator to see students in a new light, to give students power over their creative process, and encourages the imagination.
Story Theatre: This activity leads to story generation, which can be applied to any age group. The techniques in story theatre force students to question the familiar, participate in non-linear thinking, and allow for instant presentations.
Tableau: This activity is an excellent, quick assessment tool. This can serve as an introduction to a new unit or activity as well as an ending---especially if time is running short. This activity is easy to understand and accomplish.
Drama Strategies and Activities for the Classroom
There are hundreds, even thousands of dramatic activities to use in the classroom. I have a wealth of them stuffed into my head, in the pages of notebooks and journals, and on the bookshelves in my apartment. The following is a short list of activities I highly recommend using in various classrooms because of their effectiveness, relevance, and ability to engage. Please email for details of the guidelines and procedures of these strategies and activities.
Elementary School:
"The Sun Shines For..." (aka "When the Big Wind Blows"): This game allows students to practice moving, sharing, and listening, which are basic skills for building drama in the classroom. Students are also able to share things about themselves, which appeals to younger children. This is also a great activity to get students thinking about what makes up a character.
Storyboard: I find that students in this age range are eager artists, and can often work collaboratively to create drawings. Students in this age range also enjoy describing things, so they are good at explaining what is happening in their pictures. Students also love to share their artwork, which can be used as an assessment tool to see if students understand a story they are reading. Students can also practice their presentation skills by sharing their work.
Middle School:
Issue Forum Theatre: Teenagers in the middle years have a lot to talk about. They are exploring their futures, figuring out what they must live up to and what they must grow out of. This confusing time can be worked through using issue forum theatre.
Writing to Music: This activity generally calms students while getting creative juices flowing. This activity allows for individual, personal work, which middle school students often crave. When students are alone with their thoughts, they have the opportunity to work things out in their heads to get to the bottom of an issue/problem/concern/idea and can better formulate questions and opinions---in other words, fewer empty rants. This activity lays the groundwork for building off of substantial ideas.
High School:
Role on the Wall: This activity allows for reluctant drawers to create a word image of a character. This activity can be used to assess student understanding of a character and can serve as a jumping off point for more research or in-depth discussion.
Role in a Folder: Students in this age range enjoy tasks that challenge their brains. They also tend to enjoy detective work and mysteries. This activity develops critical thinking around an event and can be used to build sophisticated theatre or as a segue into a touchy subject. This activity allows for varying opinion and interpretation, and for students to practice their speaking skills. This is also a great way to build improv.
All Grade Levels:
Teacher in Role: This activity has intrigue at any age! This allows an educator to see students in a new light, to give students power over their creative process, and encourages the imagination.
Story Theatre: This activity leads to story generation, which can be applied to any age group. The techniques in story theatre force students to question the familiar, participate in non-linear thinking, and allow for instant presentations.
Tableau: This activity is an excellent, quick assessment tool. This can serve as an introduction to a new unit or activity as well as an ending---especially if time is running short. This activity is easy to understand and accomplish.